Today's data processing systems can employ multiple processors to perform tasks. For example a general purpose processor can be employed to execute general purpose tasks based on instructions provided by a computer program. Other processors in the system can be dedicated to particular tasks. For example, a processor in a network card can be dedicated to perform tasks related to communication with a computer network. Further, in some systems the processors can communicate via a bus to perform more complex tasks. Thus, the general purpose processor can communicate with the network processor in order to send or receive communications via the computer network.
The tasks performed by data processing systems have grown and continue to grow in complexity in recent years. Such complex tasks can be difficult for conventional data processing systems to execute in a desirable amount of time. One method of addressing the increasing complexity of data processing tasks is to increase the complexity of the data processors in the system. However, designing and implementing a complex data processor can be expensive and undesirably time-consuming. Accordingly, an improved method and system for performing data processing tasks would by useful.